electricvw wrote:Yes, I think the range issue is going to be a killer for the Leaf if they don't address it and fix it. My first dive into electric cars was many years ago when I converted a 64 VW Ghia to all electric. I had read up on hundreds of other builds and read that you could go 60 miles or more per charge. This was of course the days of lead acid. I said holy sh.t, I can do that and have an electric car I can drive to work. My very first lesson in believing what others have written on this subject were soon dashed as the absolute very best I could get on a full charge was like 25 miles driving at 55 mph. So I finally figured out that those 60 mile ranges were guys going golf cart speeds with no stops. That was how you attained those miles. I did not buy a car to drive like a golf cart. I did not buy a car to be driven in eco mode nor do I drive like a nanny or hyper mile.

It has been said that lithium batteries have made electric cars viable but if the pack is not large enough its still not practical. It is not practical to only get 3 to 4 years out of a vehicle before you can't go the distances you expected to go. First off the Nissan is NOT a 100 mile range car. NOT at all. No way in hell can you claim that unless you might be going 25 mph in a 30 zone with no stops and in eco mode. Actually Eco mode is totally worthless on the Highway.

A car needs to be planned on the absolute worst case. In the winter with the heater on and driving USA style at 65 mph minimum. If you can get a full 150 miles in that case and have that battery pack last at minimum 10 years with only a loss of 30% then you have a decent case for a decent vehicle.

We don't drive like you are in Japan. We drive like we are in America. The Leaf is a great car but that capacity life of the cells just plain sucks. Not a whole lot better than a good set of quality of lead acid for battery life. Lithium modules are far better, yes but if the life is in the realm of lead acid then they are not ready for prime time.

Rant Rant Rant but I must speak out.

My CALB LiFePO4 cells are good. Better life capacity than the Leaf Modules.

I also love driving my leaf, but unless I know there is a charger near my destination, I wont go further than 20 miles away from my house. If some one would only create a tow behind generator for the leaf? My understanding it that it cant be done.

I go 45 stress free miles at 80% and 55 stress free miles at 100%. Those numbers are without use of the heater.

The Leaf works for me: cheap mileage and it saves wear and tear on my other vehicles. Besides, all I have to do is drive it 33,000 miles and it is free (price of car given minus the fuel I would otherwise use on my SUV or pickup).

I just exchanged my 2015 lease for a 2016 lease for the greater range. Just had it a couple of weeks. Did 98 actual miles from 100% and dash said I had another 19 to go (no low charge warning). Was a combo of freeway and fast rural roads, about 50/50. Impressed so far. No heat, temp in high 50s low 60s.

I have a 2015 LEAF and live in a moderate climate (Auckland NZ) that is never too hot and never too cold. Anything above 30C is rare and I might see a tiny bit of frost in low places on one or two mornings in the winter. Though this winter is more like summer......as today was 19C when it should be 9C. (I no longer have any time for climate change deniers).

My LEAF is easily doing 120km across hilly terrain with about 15%-20% battery remaining. That range is enough to get me from rapid charger to rapid charger.

Good enough for now.

I bought the LEAF to go EV *now* and bridge me to the 'real' EVs in 2-3 years time that will go much further.

But with the past 13 months in a row being the warmest ever recorded in 140 years.....I didn't think I could morally justify burning gasoline any longer.

owayneo wrote:I just exchanged my 2015 lease for a 2016 lease for the greater range. Just had it a couple of weeks. Did 98 actual miles from 100% and dash said I had another 19 to go (no low charge warning). Was a combo of freeway and fast rural roads, about 50/50. Impressed so far. No heat, temp in high 50s low 60s.

I would like to know more about this "exchange" of 2015 for 2016 while leasing. Can you please share some details?

2014 S/QC - dropped first bar at 28K, second at 32.5K, Lease ended in April '17.2015 Tesla MS2017 S/QC - 2 year lease (going back in April '19)JuiceBox Pro 40A EVSE

My 2013 SV still has about a 70 mile range with A/C or heat (in milder Winter temps - more like 55-60 miles in colder temps, and 48 miles in frigid weather). The last SOH reading was the same 89% as last Fall's, and that seems about right: I have about 7 miles less range than when the car was new - maybe a bit more than that, but mainly because I know more about getting farther on the same amount of juice, now.

2013 "Brilliant Silver" SV with Premium and no QC, a 2009 Vectrix VX-1 W/18 Leaf modules, and 3 EZIP E-bicycles.PLEASE don't PM me with Leaf questions. Just post in the topic that seems most appropriate.

Trying my best to get that 4th bar down. My kids live across town - trip option one is all freeway, 61 miles. Trip option 2 is 53 miles, about 1/2 freeway, 1/2 back roads. Must stop for QC on trip option 1 - no way to make it. I can make it with 5-10 miles to spare trip option 2. Trip option 1 - miles/KWH less than 4, Trip option 2 - in the mid 4's miles/KWH. Level II charging at my Son's house - we built a 50 amp 240 VAC adapter for my OpenESVE (only use 16 amps however).

BTW, trip option 2 is relaxing and interesting - much of it in the country. HOWEVER, trip option 1 is likely much harder on the battery. Trip elapsed time is not much different, so option 1 going and option 2 coming back.